Clematis plant named ‘Evipo056’

ABSTRACT

A new  Clematis  plant with a compact growth habit, profuse, pink flowers, and continuous summer flowering. The variety successfully propagates from softwood cuttings and is suitable for cultivation in commercial nursery culture. This new and distinct variety has shown to be uniform and stable in the resulting generations from asexual propagation from vegetative cuttings.

Botanical classification: Genus: Clematis. Species: viticella.

Variety denomination: ‘Evipo056’.

SUMMARY OF THE CLAIMED PLANT

The present invention constitutes a new and distinct variety of Clematisplant which originated from a controlled crossing between the femaleseed parent, an un-named seedling, and the male pollen parent, anun-named seedling.

The two parents were crossed during the summer of 1998 and the resultingseeds were planted the following winter in a controlled environment inGuernsey, Channel Islands, United Kingdom. The new variety named‘Evipo056’ originated as a single seedling from the stated cross.

The new clematis plant may be distinguished from its female seed parentand male pollen parent by the following characteristics. The seed parenthas light pink flowers, while the new variety has pink flowers. Thepollen parent variety has a flower diameter of 70 to 80 mm while the newvariety has flowers from 80 to 100 mm.

The objective of the hybridization of this clematis plant was to createa new and distinct variety for nursery culture with unique qualitiessuch as:

-   -   1. Uniform and abundant pink flowers;    -   2. Vigorous and compact growth, making the variety suitable for        container culture; and    -   3. Improved disease resistance.

This combination of qualities was lacking in clematis plants that werein commercial cultivation and the qualities have been substantiallyachieved in the new variety.

‘Evipo056’ was selected by Mogens N. Olesen and Raymond J. Evison intheir clematis development program in the Channel Islands, UnitedKingdom in 1998. Asexual reproduction of ‘Evipo056’ by means ofvegetative cuttings and traditional layering was first performed byMogens N. Olesen and Raymond J. Evison in the nursery during the summerof 1999. This initial and subsequent asexual propagations havedemonstrated that the characteristics of ‘Evipo056’ are true to type andare transmitted from one generation to the next.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying color illustrations show as true as is reasonablypossible to obtain in color photographs of this type the typicalcharacteristics of the buds, flowers, leaves, and stems, of ‘Evipo056’.

Specifically illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings are open flowers on abranch, flower upon opening, flower reproductive parts detached, and aseed head.

FIG. 2 shows mature leaves, stems, and seed heads.

Plants shown are 2 years of age.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

The following is a detailed description of ‘Evipo056’, as observed inits growth throughout the flowering period in Fredensborg Denmark.Observed plants were cultivated for a period of 24 months in 2 litercontainers. Certain phenotypical characteristics of the variety may varyunder different environmental, cultural, agronomic, seasonal, andclimatic conditions. Color references are made using The RoyalHorticultural Society (London, England) Colour Chart, 2001, except wherecommon terms of color are used.

For a comparison, several physical characteristics of the clematisvariety ‘Evione’ described and illustrated in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,222issued Feb. 3, 1998 are compared to ‘Evipo056’ in Chart 1.

CHART 1 ‘Evipo056’ ‘Evione’ Flower diameter 80 to 100 13 to 18 cm Tepalupper Purple-Violet Group Purple Group 76A with a surface after 82C witha central central bar Red-Purple opening stripe Purple-Violet Group 71AGroup 81A Tepal count 6 6, sometimes 8

Flower and Flower Bud

-   Blooming habit: Continuous. The natural flowering period is    generally from April to September.-   Flower bud:    -   -   Size.—Normally 20 mm in length. Bud diameter is 10 mm.        -   Bud form.—Elliptic.        -   Bud color.—At ¼ opening tepals are Purple-Violet Group 80A.-   Peduncle:    -   -   Surface texture.—Smooth.        -   Length.—On average 25 mm.        -   Color.—Yellow-Green Group 146C.        -   Strength.—Moderately strong.-   Receptacle:    -   -   Surface texture.—Lightly pubescent.        -   Shape.—Broad funnel.        -   Size.—2 mm (h)×4 mm (w).        -   Color.—Yellow-Green Group 146C.-   Flower arrangement:    -   -   Location on vine.—New growth only.        -   Borne.—Singly.        -   Attitude.—Flower orientation is horizontal and somewhat            upward facing.-   Flower bloom:    -   -   Size.—On average, flowers are 80 to 100 mm in diameter and            15 mm in depth.        -   Profile.—Open flowers are flat.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Lasting quality.—Flowers normally remain up to 10 days on            the plant.-   Tepals:    -   -   Tepal color.—Upon opening, the upper surface is            Purple-Violet Group 80A. The lower surface is Purple-Violet            Group 82B with a central streak of Green-Yellow 1B. After            opening, the upper surface is Purple-Violet Group 82C with a            central stripe Purple-Violet Group 81A. The lower surface is            Purple-Violet Group 82D with a central streak of            Green-Yellow 1D.        -   Quantity.—Normally 6 tepals.        -   Size.—50 mm in length by 25-40 mm wide.        -   Shape.—Individual tepal shape is elliptic. The tepal apex is            mucronate. The tepal base is typically acute.        -   Apex recurvature.—Slightly curved.        -   Tepal cross section.—Slightly reflexed.        -   Margins.—Entire.        -   Persistence.—Tepals drop off cleanly.        -   Tepal overlap.—Tepals overlap slightly.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Pollen.—None observed.        -   Anthers.—Size: 5 mm in length. Color: Yellow Group 2B.            Quantity: On average, 60.        -   Filaments.—Color: Yellow Group 2D. Length: 10-15 mm.        -   Pistils.—Quantity: On average, 60.        -   Stigmas.—Superior in location relative to the length of the            filaments and the height of the anthers.        -   Styles.—Color: Yellow-Green Group 144B. Length: 12 mm.-   Seed head characteristics:    -   -   Size.—30 mm in height. 40 mm in diameter.        -   Quantity.—The average number of seeds produced per seed head            is 60.        -   Style appearance.—Plumose, semi-erect.

Plant

-   Plant form: Climbing.-   Growth: Moderate.-   Size: Seasons growth attains 100 to 150 cm in height. Average spread    is 50 cm.-   Stems:    -   -   Color.—Juvenile stems are Yellow-Green Group 146B. Mature            stems are Greyed-Purple Group 183B.        -   Internodes.—8 to 13 cm between nodes.        -   Length.—Normally 50 cm from the base of the plant to the            flowering portion of the stem.        -   Diameter.—Normally 2 mm.        -   Texture.—Mature stems are ribbed.-   Plant foliage:    -   -   Leaf characteristics.—Deciduous.        -   Arrangement.—Trifoliate.        -   Leaf size.—Compound leaves are normally 120 to 150 mm            (l)×120 to 240 mm (w). Leaflets are normally 50 to 85 mm            (l)×35 to 45 mm (w).        -   Abundance.—On average 2 leaves per 10 cm of stem.        -   Leaf color.—Juvenile upper Yellow-Green Group 146B. Juvenile            lower Yellow-Green Group 146C. Mature upper Yellow-Green            Group 147A. Mature lower Yellow-Green Group 147B.        -   Stipules.—Absent.        -   Petioles.—Size: Normally 40 to 80 mm in length by 1 to 2 mm            diameter. Texture: Lightly pubescent. Color: Greyed-Purple            Group 183A and Yellow-Green Group 146C.        -   Petiolule.—Size: Normally 15 to 45 mm in length by 1 to 2 mm            diameter. Texture: Lightly pubescent. Color: Greyed-Purple            Group 183A and Yellow-Green Group 146C.        -   Leaflet shape.—Generally elliptic. The base is rounded. The            apex is acute. Margin: Entire. Surface: The upper and lower            sides are somewhat rough. Thickness: Moderate. Glossiness:            Not glossy.-   Disease resistance: Subject to any disease that normally attacks the    species. However the variety is more tolerant to clematis wilt,    Ascochyta clematidina, than some clematis known to the inventors.-   Cold hardiness: The variety is tolerant to USDA Hardiness Zone 6.-   Heat tolerance: The variety has been found to be suitable for    climate conditions found in the American Horticulture Society heat    zone 7.

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of clematis plant named‘Evipo056’, substantially as described and illustrated, due to itsabundant pink flowers with good keepability, attractive long lastingfoliage and compact growth, year round flowering under glasshouseconditions, suitability for production from softwood cuttings in pots,durable flowers and foliage which make the variety suitable fordistribution in the floral industry.